Find Troup County Genealogy

Troup County genealogy records date back to 1827, one year after the county was created from Indian lands in west Georgia. The Probate Court in LaGrange holds marriage licenses, wills, estate files, and guardianship records that span nearly 200 years. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps land deeds, divorce records, and civil case files. LaGrange serves as the county seat and main hub for genealogy research. Troup County sits along the Alabama border, and families in this area often crossed state lines, so checking both Georgia and Alabama records can help fill gaps.

Troup County Probate Court Records

The Troup County Probate Court is the main source for marriage and estate records. Marriage licenses go back to 1827. The court also keeps wills, letters of administration, guardianship files, and estate inventories. These are essential documents for anyone researching Troup County family lines.

You can visit the courthouse at 100 Ridley Avenue in LaGrange to search in person. Staff can help locate records. The court accepts mail requests too. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and payment by check or money order. Under O.C.G.A. § 15-9-30, the Probate Court has jurisdiction over wills, estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and marriage licenses. Certified copies cost $2.50 for the first page and $0.50 for each page after that. Fees can change, so call first.

Birth and death certificates from 1919 forward are also available here. The first copy costs $25. Each additional copy is $5. These fees are standard across all 159 Georgia counties.

Troup County Superior Court Genealogy

The Troup County Clerk of Superior Court holds land records, divorce files, and civil case records from 1827 to the present. Land deeds are a rich genealogy source. They show property transfers, neighbors, and family connections that go back generations. Troup County deed books document the growth of west Georgia from early settlement through the antebellum period and beyond.

Divorce records often list children, property, ages, and sometimes birth dates. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, most court records in Georgia are open to the public. You can get copies in person or by mail from the courthouse in LaGrange. The Clerk of Superior Court also maintains voter registration lists and tax digests from various periods.

Tax digests are especially useful when census records are missing. Georgia lost its 1790, 1800, 1810, and 1890 federal census data. Troup County tax records from those years can help fill gaps in your family tree. Civil case files and estate disputes also name family members and reveal connections.

Under O.C.G.A. § 50-18-71, the Open Records Act caps copy fees at 10 cents per page for standard documents.

Vital Records for Troup County Genealogy

Georgia did not start statewide vital records until 1919 under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-9. For Troup County births and deaths before 1919, you need county-level sources. The Probate Court may have some early records. Church records, cemetery transcriptions, and family Bibles are good alternatives.

Birth certificates from 1919 onward are available from the Georgia Department of Public Health or the Troup County Probate Court. Under O.C.G.A. § 31-10-26, certified birth certificates are only available to the person named, parents, grandparents, adult siblings, adult children, spouses, or legal guardians. Death certificates have fewer restrictions and are easier to get for genealogy research.

The Georgia Virtual Vault has death certificates from 1919 to 1943 online for free. FamilySearch.org also has Georgia death records from 1914 to 1943 indexed at no cost. These are solid starting points for Troup County research.

Troup County GAGenWeb Resources

The Troup County GAGenWeb page is a free volunteer-run genealogy resource with cemetery transcriptions, census data, and family trees shared by other researchers.

This site connects you with other people working on Troup County family lines. Volunteers post records they have found at courthouses, libraries, and archives across Georgia.

Other free online resources for Troup County genealogy include FamilySearch, which has Georgia marriages from 1754 to 1960, probate records from 1742 to 1990, and death records from 1914 to 1943. The Georgia Historic Newspapers archive has over one million pages of old Georgia newspapers with obituaries, legal notices, and family announcements that may help with Troup County research.

Genealogy Research Tips for Troup County

Start with what you know. Write down names, dates, and places. Then work backward one generation at a time.

Census records are often the best next step. Federal census data from 1830 to 1940 covers Troup County. The 1850 census was the first to list every household member by name and age. For the years where Georgia census records are missing, use Troup County tax digests to find where your ancestors lived. The Georgia Archives at 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260 is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Free access to Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and Fold3 is available in the search room.

You can also search Troup County records through the state's E-Access to Court Records system. Registration is free. Basic case data costs nothing. Documents cost $2.50 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page.

• Check cemetery records and tombstone inscriptions when vital records are missing
• Search church records for baptisms, marriages, and burials
• Look at Family Bible records on microfilm at the Georgia Archives
• Use the Vanishing Georgia photo collection for historical images
• Review estate and guardianship records for family details

Troup County sits on the Alabama border. Families often moved back and forth across the state line. If you lose track of an ancestor in Troup County, check Chambers County and Lee County in Alabama. The Virtual Vault has "Georgia Counties: Their Changing Boundaries" to help track county lines over time.

Note: Pre-1900 Troup County records are available on microfilm at the Georgia Archives in Morrow. Post-1900 records are only at the courthouse in LaGrange.

Cities in Troup County

LaGrange is the county seat and largest city in Troup County with a population of about 33,564. All genealogy records for cities in this county are maintained at the Troup County Probate Court and Superior Court Clerk in LaGrange. No cities in Troup County currently have a separate city page on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Troup County. If your ancestors moved within west Georgia, check neighboring county records as well. County lines changed often in this part of the state during the 1800s.